This Day in Canes History: June 22

On this day in Canes history ...

June 22, 2018

The Hurricanes select Andrei Svechnikov with the second overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft.

14, 5, 1, 2. In late April of 2018, that lottery ball combination vaulted the Hurricanes from 11th to second in the 2018 NHL Draft order.

Nearly two months later, with their highest draft pick since 2003 (Eric Staal, second overall), the Canes selected Russian forward Andrei Svechnikov.

Since then, Svechnikov has dazzled and marveled - and he just turned 20 years old in March.

In 150 career games, Svechnikov has totaled 44 goals and 98 points. As impressive as his rookie season was, he only got better in the shortened 2019-20 regular season. At the time of the pause, he had scored 24 goals (ranking second on the team), with 14 games left in his quest to reach 30. He had recorded his jersey number equivalent in assists (37, again ranking second on the team), and he likely would have come close to doubling his point total from 2018-19.

Two of his 24 goals from 2019-20 stand out above the rest and will live on highlight reels for years and years to come: The Svech, a lacrosse-style goal that no other player in NHL history had been able to successfully execute before Video: Hurricanes draft F Andrei Svechnikov No. 2.

Video: Hurricanes draft F Andrei Svechnikov No. 2.

That's just Svech doing Svech things.

June 22, 2012

The Hurricanes acquire Jordan Staal from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Brandon Sutter, prospect Brian Dumoulin and the eighth overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft.

Rumors swirled in the days leading up to the 2012 NHL Draft. Jordan Staal, due to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2013, had rejected a long-term contract offer from the Pittsburgh Penguins, and there was talk of the Staal brothers perhaps wanting to play together on the same team.

On the afternoon on the first round, Canes President and General Manager Jim Rutherford and Penguins GM Ray Shero went back and forth with proposals for a little more than two hours. Then, about 15 minutes before the 2012 NHL Draft officially began, the two agreed to a blockbuster trade.

It was a big splash for both teams, with the Penguins landing a top-10 draft pick in their own building and the Canes acquiring one of the league's top young two-way centers.

"In some ways, this was not an easy trade to make," Video: Hurricanes draft F Andrei Svechnikov No. 2. "But in other ways, it's one we can get real excited about."

The Canes parted with young center Brandon Sutter, defensive prospect Brian Dumoulin and the eighth overall pick, which the Penguins then used to select defenseman Derrick Pouliot.

In return, the Canes received a coveted two-way center, one of the league's top penalty killers who also had a winning pedigree, even at just 23 years of age.

"I believe this improves our team," Rutherford said. "We've added a player that's very, very hard to acquire at any time."

June 22, 2012, also happened to be Staal's wedding day. Paul Krepelka, Staal's agent at the time and now the Canes' vice president of hockey operations, broke the news to his client and friend at the reception (around the 26-minute mark below).

"It was a crazy day," Video: Hurricanes draft F Andrei Svechnikov No. 2. "I think anyone could tell you that their wedding day could be crazy, but to put all that stuff in there, there were a lot of emotions in the room. Some ex-teammates now that were there, and with the family and everyone hearing it all at once, it was pretty surreal."

Staal, who now serves as captain, has recorded 289 points (105g, 184a) in 530 games with the Canes since 2012. Over his 14-year career, Staal has totaled 537 points (225g, 312a) in 961 NHL games.

June 22, 2011

Jeff Skinner wins the Calder Memorial Trophy at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas.

Nearly a year after being selected seventh overall by the Hurricanes in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Jeff Skinner claimed the Calder Memorial Trophy, becoming the first player in franchise history to be named the NHL's rookie of the year.

Skinner finished the 2010-11 season ranked first among league rookies in points (63), second in assists (32), third in goals (31) and tied for second in power-play assists (12) and power-play points (18). Skinner, whose 31 goals ranked second-most by a rookie in franchise history, trailed only Eric Staal among Hurricanes skaters in goals and points. The rookie forward scored his 30th goal on April 6, 2011, to become the youngest player in franchise history and the seventh-youngest player in NHL history to score 30 goals (18 years, 325 days). The Canes were 20-4-2 in 2010-11 when Skinner scored a goal.

Skinner was named the NHL's rookie of the month in January 2011 after he tallied 14 points, including nine goals, in 14 games. He also became the youngest All-Star in NHL history when he skated for Team Staal at the 2011 NHL All-Star Game in Raleigh; at the age of 18 years and 259 days, he broke the record set by Steve Yzerman (18 years, 267 days) in 1984.

June 22, 2006

Rod Brind'Amour wins the Frank J. Selke Trophy at the NHL Awards in Vancouver.

Three days after hoisting Lord Stanley's Cup, Rod Brind'Amour won the Frank J. Selke Trophy, becoming the first player in franchise history to be named the National Hockey League's top defensive forward.

Brind'Amour finished the 2005-06 season ranked first among all NHL forwards in average ice time per game (24:17), 92 seconds more than the next nearest forward (Brad Richards), and led his team in average shorthanded ice time per game (4:21). Brind'Amour also ranked third in the NHL in faceoff win percentage at 59.1%, having taken the most faceoffs in the league (2,145), often times matching up against the opponent's best.

As a complete two-way forward, Brind'Amour posted 70 points (31g, 39a) in 78 games, his highest point total since 1999. The captain ranked tied for second on the team in goals and fourth on the team in points, and his 19 power-play goals ranked tied for first on the team and eighth in the NHL.

Brind'Amour went on to Video: Hurricanes draft F Andrei Svechnikov No. 2, becoming the league's first back-to-back winner since Dallas' Jere Lehtinen in 1998 and 1999.

Rod Brind'Amour belongs in the Hockey Hall of Fame.